| The Philly-based Urban Youth Racing School that | | | | NASCAR's top three series namely: Nextel Cup, |
| promotes careers in motorsports for city kids | | | | Bush and Craftsman Truck but the school serves |
| through the school's board chairman James | | | | as a training ground for those aspiring youngsters |
| Farmer has invited General Motors CEO Rick | | | | who would one day wants to be able to race on |
| Wagoner for its 8th annual dinner last night. | | | | the professional league. |
| Anthony Martin, the founder of the Urban Youth | | | | Martin said, "The NASCAR teams have embraced |
| Racing School was so thrilled to know that Rick | | | | us. Our kids have had internships. It's feasible that |
| Wagoner would join their 8th annual dinner | | | | some of them will get to NASCAR." |
| celebration and even narrated the time when he | | | | Mike Helton has also given some inspirational |
| saw GM's CEO. It was last January at Detroit | | | | speech to boost the spirit of young aspiring |
| while accepting a diversity-in-motor-sports award | | | | NASCAR drivers, "Our effort is to tell the |
| he spotted a famous face, "Rick Wagoner, the | | | | NASCAR story wherever we can tell it. You don't |
| Chairman and CEO of General Motors, was sitting | | | | drive by schools and see racetracks. You see |
| in the crowd. I don't think that he knew that he | | | | soccer, baseball, and football fields and |
| supported our program. When I accepted the | | | | gymnasiums. We have to be about creating more |
| award, 'I said, I'd like to thank General Motors for | | | | opportunity. If NASCAR has interest to someone |
| their support' and then I saw him smile. He was | | | | and they say, 'That's neat; I'd like to do that,' that |
| stunned." | | | | next step is a big step." |
| Wagoner speak before a crowd comprising of | | | | But of course aside from racing the Urban Youth |
| more than 500 students and famous racers at a | | | | Drivers are also encouraged to finish college. As a |
| 'Build a Dream' awards dinner at the Sheraton | | | | fact, one of the Urban Youth drivers Lamott |
| Society Hill in which he encouraged students to | | | | Ebron, 19, a Simon Gratz High School senior, plans |
| pursue their dreams. | | | | to attend Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, |
| Joining Wagoner at the dinner was NASCAR | | | | N.C. Ebron said, "My goal is to get into fabrication |
| president Mike Helton. According to Martin having | | | | or building cars. Last summer, I interned at |
| both Helton and Wagoner at the dinner "will open | | | | Hendrick Motorsports. I started at the very |
| a lot of eyes around the country about how big | | | | bottom, cleaning the haulers that carry the race |
| our organization really is and how much support | | | | cars and dry cleaning. I worked my way up." |
| we get." | | | | There are students also at the Urban Youth |
| Even Mike Helton, NASCAR President has praised | | | | Racing School who are focused on racing just like |
| Rick Wagoner for attending the dinner. He said, | | | | Kyle Baker, age 16, who is thinking Formula One. |
| "For Rick Wagoner to take time to come here | | | | He is currently a student at Philadelphia Electrical & |
| speaks volumes...this is a great model for other | | | | Technology Charter High School. He was also |
| urban markets to look at." The presence of the | | | | given the opportunity to drive a Formula 3 race |
| General Motors at the 8th annual dinner provided | | | | car in Monterey California. |
| by the Urban Youth Racing School signifies the | | | | Likewise, brothers Johnny and Jeremy Ortiz are |
| humility that the world's largest automaker | | | | also thinking Formula One or Nextel Cup. Jeremy |
| possesses despite its global standing. General | | | | is a student at Carver High School of Engineering |
| Motors is renowned worldwide for its line of auto | | | | and Science while his brother Johnny is a student |
| brands (Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Daewoo, | | | | at Abraham Lincoln High. |
| Holden, Hummer, Opel, Pontiac, Saab, Saturn and | | | | To grace the 8th annual dinner of the Urban |
| Vauxhall) and quality auto parts like GM tail light. | | | | Youth Racing School were Cup drivers Kyle Busch |
| The first branch of the Urban Youth Racing | | | | and Casey Mears, together with Oakland Raiders |
| School opened last year in Washington D.C. | | | | receiver Randy Moss who Martin said is getting |
| Although there are still no Urban Youth drivers | | | | involved in racing. |
| who are skilled enough to race in any of the | | | | |